peeing in installments

Makes me feel evil for thinking this. I should be convinced she is incapable of such guile at this tender age. I should always think the best of my precious little baby doll... but, there it is - I do have a sneaking suspicion that she is withholding her pee on purpose and lets them out in small installments, a few drops at a time, and I think I know why.

See, we had set up a reward system of 2 mini M&Ms, plus a sticker every time Ana successfully pees in her potty. Which she has been doing since Nana's visit in October.

The minute she declares "I wanna pee", D or I whoever is nearby, (usually me, even if by conventional measurements I am several feet away in the next room while Ana is practically attached to D's pant-legs), are conditioned to drop everything, run to turn the light on in the bathroom where her little potty awaits deposit.

While it was exciting at first to rush and turn the light on and help her get her bare bottom positioned over the receptacle, it has become increasingly annoying over the last few weeks, degrading to a contest of wills between D and me about who can hold out the longest without responding, feigning busy-ness. Note to self: ask D if he can set up alternate lighting system for bathroom that Ana can reach and safely turn on by herself.

Especially, for some reason, when we sit for dinner together and Ana decides she doesn't like the nutritious spread thoughtfully put together just for her by her mommy (I mean, what's not to like about pasta+peas+carrots, chickpeas, yogurt and a small quarter of a PBJ sandwich for dessert?) she declares "I wanna pee... tunn on light pleese"... and somehow manages to let out a careful 5 drops, hold the rest in, wipe herself, get a sticker and run out to the kitchen to get her treat!

And when I try to barter Eat 2 pieces of carrot, then you get the treat, she wails like her whole world has come crashing down. And not wanting to confuse the reward system and jeopardize the potty training which is still unfinished as she won't poop in her potty, I cave in. She gets her 2 mini M&Ms and agrees to sit at the table again with us to finish dinner.

But... you guessed right: 2 minutes later comes the pained declaration "I wanna pee... tunn on light pleese...". The most so far is 5 times in a row, each about 2 to 3 minutes apart. If only my glares and muttered curses at having to get up so often within a space of 15 minutes to accompany Ana to the potty could manifest in some material form, it could fill the house.

The redeeming feature is that she only does it around meal time, especially when she doesn't like her meal. Her daycare teacher assures me she lets it all out and even stays dry during her nap. And sure enough, about 70% of the time at home, say weekends and most mornings, she pees a good 3-4 ounces all at one go, no fuss...

At first I suspected some urinary tract infection or something screwy and knotted my innards with horrible scenarios. But during the last visit with her doctor she seems to check out fine, so, I am inclined to attribute a tiny bit of deviousness to her new pattern...

Ah! the taste of things to come...